Do I Need an Industrial Sewing Machine to Make Bags?

Short answer: No! ❤️

You absolutely do not need an industrial sewing machine to start making bags - or even to make a lot of them.

I often see new bag makers being told that they'll eventually need an industrial machine if they want to make more than a few bags. Please don't let that discourage you! A good-quality domestic sewing machine can be perfectly capable of bag making.

I ran my bag-making and pattern-design business for years using a domestic Janome Horizon 7700, and before that I made bags on a Husqvarna Emerald 118. I still test sew my bag patterns on a domestic Husqvarna Opal 690Q before release, because my patterns are designed with home sewists and domestic sewing machines in mind. 

What should I look for in a sewing machine for bag making?

If you're choosing a sewing machine for bag making, I'd focus less on whether it's labelled "heavy duty" and more on whether it has the features that actually make sewing bags easier. You don't necessarily need the most powerful or expensive machine. What matters more is having a well-made domestic machine that can handle the materials you're using.

For bag making, I particularly appreciate being able to:

• Adjust the presser foot pressure
• Use a walking foot when sewing bulky or layered areas
• Have a non-stick/Teflon foot for materials such as vinyl
• Sew through several layers reliably at a slow, controlled speed

Very inexpensive entry-level machines can sometimes struggle with bag making, particularly when you reach bulky seams or work with materials such as foam, vinyl or multiple layers of interfacing. Limited presser-foot clearance or not being able to adjust the presser-foot pressure can also make some projects more difficult.

But that doesn't mean you need to jump straight from an entry-level machine to an industrial one!

When might an industrial machine be useful?

An industrial machine can be wonderful if you're sewing bags commercially, working with particularly heavy materials, or simply want a machine designed to perform one type of sewing extremely well, all day long.

But it's an option, not a requirement for becoming a "serious" bag maker.

Industrial machines also aren't simply more powerful versions of domestic machines. Different industrial machines are designed for different jobs, and they generally don't offer the range of stitches and functions you get from a domestic machine.

My patterns are designed for domestic sewing machines

This is the important bit. 😊

Pink Pony Design bag patterns are intended for home sewists, and I test sew all my designs on a domestic machine before release.

Of course, every sewing machine and every combination of fabric, interfacing and stabiliser behaves a little differently. Occasionally you may need to slow down, change your needle or foot, reduce bulk in a seam, or make another small adjustment.

But please don't look at a beautiful handmade bag and think:

"I can't make that because I don't own an industrial sewing machine."

You very likely can. ❤️